Talk of a new BMW supercar is again doing the rounds, with new reports out of Europe suggesting BMW is warming up a new hero model.

Expected to be based on the aluminium and carbon composite architecture of the 2011 i8 hybrid supercar concept, the so-called M8 will reportedly shelve the i8's 1.5 litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine in favour of a mid-mounted twin-turbocharged V8.

That V8 engine will most likely be borrowed from the M6 and M5, however it's unclear whether the M8 will retain the i8 concept's electrically-driven front axle (for a hybrid AWD drivetrain much like the Porsche 918) or rely purely on internal combustion.

Power is expected to hover around the 450kW mark, which is appreciably close to the 412kW output of the M5 and M6's 4.4 litre twin-turbo V8.

If BMW were to supplement the 4.4 litre V8 with an electric motor or two, combined peak power could conceivably be in excess of 450kW, while torque would most certainly be higher than the M5's already substantial 680Nm figure.

The 0-100km/h sprint is speculated to be done away with in around 3.0 seconds, which would make the M8 1.2 seconds faster than an M6. A kerb weight of under 1400kg is also expected, which would confer the M8 with prodigious cornering performance.

A global motorshow debut is believed to be on the cards for 2015, with the M8 slated to go on sale in 2016 - which, coincidentally, will mark BMW's centenary.

As far as birthday presents go, a mid-engined supercar with a twin-turbo V8 is pretty hard to top.